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The Burial Suit That Eats Your Body

Thinking about your own death is an unpleasant chore for most. Jae Rhim Lee, however, enjoys dwelling on the subject. Specifically, she likes to think about what will become of her body after she ceases to need it.

All that thought has spurred one interesting idea for Lee – who has decided to forgo traditional burial and cremation in favor of the slightly more unconventional idea of having mushrooms eat her body.

Wait, what?

Yes, you read that correctly. Lee, who describes herself in this interview with New Scientist as being “interested in cultural death denial” and how it “ leads to funeral practices that harm the environment“ is working on a suit made from mushrooms that will break down and consume her corpse. But these aren’t your standard cheeseburger topping-style mushrooms. She’s using “infinity mushrooms,” which she describes like this:

"These mushrooms, which usually grow on wood and decaying material in the forest, can be trained to grow on pretty much any organic material and break it down. So I started collecting my hair, nails and skin so I could pick the best mushrooms to become Infinity Mushrooms, to recognise and eat my body after I die."

Check out the entire interview on her project and let us know what you think. Would you be OK with strapping on one of these infinity mushroom suits one day?

Also on Mental Floss:

DID YOU KNOW? Marlon Brando hated memorizing lines so much that he posted cue cards everywhere to help him get through scenes.
He even asked for lines to be written on an actress's posterior. (That request was denied.)